


My Heart is Full (Of Love)

by The_Risen_Phoenix



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Epilogue, Life Adjustments, M/M, No Beta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-19 16:55:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19136830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Risen_Phoenix/pseuds/The_Risen_Phoenix
Summary: A brief look on how Nero takes to being mer, and the life they make together.





	My Heart is Full (Of Love)

 

To say that Nero adjusted to the changes that becoming a mer entailed easily, would be a gross understatement. As much as V tried and tried to help, there were things that he just could not help Nero to work out.

 

Things like not cutting his tongue on his strangely sharp teeth, he discovered that they seemed to become sharper when hunting and when he felt threatened, and blood often filled his mouth due to his carelessness.

 

The lack of clothes was also odd, not that Nero was averse to not wearing a shirt around the house, but not having any clothing on was just strange. Though if he were to actually think about it, Nero realised that he didn't even have legs anymore, so wearing pants was out of the question. Plus, well his junk didn't just hang out so there was really no need for him to cover himself up anyway.

 

V had seen Nero's discomfort, and had woven together sea grass to make bracelets and bands for Nero to wear upon his wrists and tail. Upon seeing Nero's surprise, V had explained that this was their equivalent of clothing for male mer. Shocked, Nero asked if that meant that V had been naked this whole time, and had laughed delightedly at V's suddenly flushed face, as he tried to explain that it was more of an accessory than what humans considered clothing.

 

Griffon often laughed himself hoarse as Nero tried to work out how to move his tail in a way that would propel him the direction that he wanted. Instead of the steady up and down motion that V used, Nero tended to almost flip his tail in a propeller like motion and more often than not ending up flipping over sideways and swimming in circles.

 

Griffon himself was a huge adjustment also, having to listen to the loud and opinionated eel on a permanent daily basis, made his estimation of V's patience sky-rocket. There was also the small matter of the grudge that Griffon held against Nero. Although Nero had proven himself in the end, had even became a mer to be with V, Griffon still remembered how close to death V had been before Nero pulled his head out of his ass. Also he had left them in the middle of nowhere.

 

V fretted as the two would frequently fight, Nero's sharpened claws appearing to try to rake down the eels' body as Griffon's teeth would bite at Nero's tail. It was only when Nightmare got fed up with their antics and used his gigantic tail to flick them some distance away, that they decided to call an uneasy truce. V treated their wounds silently, and both Nero and Griffon felt the weight of guilt press down against them.

 

Having never been a big fan of seafood previously, Nero found it hard to adjust to the fish only diet that he now had to eat. V had been excited to offer new varieties of fish to Nero, hoping that the other mer would be as excited as he had been to try new foods, but his excitement had waned at Nero's unenthusiastic response.

 

There were days when homesickness would flood Nero, and the longing to be home with Nico and his friends nearly overwhelmed him, and he would lie in the sand of their little home and mope. Sometimes these bouts would last for hours, other times days, and V would try to soothe his ache by lying beside him and curling around his mourning lover.

 

Both of these issues ate away at V's happiness, and in a fit of insecurity, he left Nero when he was napping and swam to find Vergil. Perhaps V could get him to reverse the spell and Nero could return home again. V clutched at his chest at the sharp pang in his heart that that thought produced, but he told himself not to be selfish and to let Nero go home if that was what he really wanted.

 

Shadow grumbled unhappily beside him, not liking what V had planned to do, but nudging V gently to show his support regardless. V would still have all of them even if Nero did decide to leave, and they would never let him be lonely again.

 

Upon reaching Vergil's cave however, V found that the space had been cleared out and not a single trace that the sea witch had ever been there remained. He searched the space frantically for a clue as to where he might have disappeared to, and eventually found a spell message tucked away in a corner with his name glowing on the front. V approached it cautiously, and reached out to touch it. As soon as his hand made contact, a bright light filled the cave and an image of Vergil appeared to speak to him.

 

“ _My dear Vaihere, you should not be here.”_ V felt a stab of guilt at the words.

 

“ _As you can see I have left this place and I shall not be returning within your lifetime. I stayed for you, but now that you have found your special one, I no longer need to linger. Your experiences have intrigued me and so I have decided to make use of this human energy and spend some time upon the land.”_

 

The look on the face of the image of Vergil, softened as he gazed down at V with fond exasperation.

 

“ _I know your heart, and though your heart never wavers you wonder if Nero's does. You wonder if he made the right choice in choosing you, and whether it would be better for him to return home. Do not assume that his heart is so fickle, dear child, he made his choice knowingly and he does not regret. But perhaps that is something that you should talk about with him and not me hmm? Don't worry, he should be arriving just about....now.”_

 

The image shattered just as Nero came barrelling into the cave, Griffon hot on his tail fin, and grabbed V into his arms tightly.

 

“Why, why would you try to do something so silly as to try to send me back?” Nero demanded, head buried in V's dark hair.

 

“I'm sorry Nero,” V began. “But you were so unhappy and you don't like the food, and you always missed those that you left behind....” V hiccuped on a sob, face hiding in the crook of Nero's neck.

 

“Yeah I do miss my friends, and ok fish isn't my number one food of choice,” V shrank back from Nero at his words. “But V, I don't regret anything. Leaving them behind hurts, but leaving you would kill me. And I'm sure I'll get used to eating fish, it's just we never really had the money to buy to good stuff before so I never got used to eating it.”

 

Nero tilted V's head up, thumbs running gently over his sharp cheekbones soothingly.

 

“Don't try to make me leave V. I know things are hard right now, but I promise you that things will get better. Just talk to me next time yeah? Don't try to send me back, because I don't want to go without you.”

 

Nero leant forwards and kissed V softly on his trembling lips, the contact finally breaking the hold he had on his emotions. V trembled and shook and he tried to bury himself deeper into Nero's arms. Nero clung back tightly, letting them drift gently to the floor of the cave, where they huddled together for hours, trying to comfort each other.

 

Things got a bit better after that, the longing not so sharp but dulled to a constant ache within Nero's chest, and he became more interested in the different varieties of foods that V was offering to him. A big part of Nero's aversion to the fish initially had been the rawness of the meat, the human part of his mind crying out in disgust. But once he actually closed his eyes and tried some, he realised that it actually tasted pretty good. Even the kelp that V gathered wasn't too bad, though he would never tell Nico that as she would tease him mercilessly.

 

Months passed and summer had finally arrived. Feeling a strong sense of nostalgia, V tugged Nero along with him back to the place where they first met. As they drew closer, they could see legs dangling into the water and hesitated. It was only as Nero recognised that cloud of bushy, black hair and the twang of Nico's voice jeering at the birds trying to steal her lunch, that Nero launched himself forwards with a shout of joy.

 

Finally managing to get a handle of speed swimming (without spinning out and making himself horribly dizzy) Nero sped through the water to launch himself up and out onto the dock beside Nico. He shouted with laughter as Nico cursed up a storm as she was drenched by the wave his jump created, only to scramble at the wooden dock as he started to slip back into the ocean.

 

Finally shaking off the shock of Nero's sudden appearance, Nico helped to pull the idiot up onto the dock beside her, where he finally settled himself more comfortably. The two stared at each other, Nico taking in the new look that Nero sported, and Nero taking in the subtle changes the last few months had wrought in his friend. Throwing caution to the wind, Nero grabbed a hold of Nico and held her tightly to him. After a moment of surprise, Nico melted into the hold, shoulders shaking as she tried to hold back her emotions.

 

“Damn it Nero, you got hot!”

 

Nico sent a leer over at Nero when she pulled back, hands rising to wipe away tears that she would forever deny shedding. She then sent an appraising look towards V, who was still floating nearby in the water, and whistled at him too. She cackled as both mer blushed brightly, V ducking back below the waters' surface.

 

“Hey, eyes off my mer!” Nero scolded her teasingly.

 

“Lookin' isn't a crime you know?” Nico sassed back at him. “Plus....you owe me that much.”

 

Her voice had softened on the last part, and Nero looked down sadly.

 

“I'm sorry I just left like that Nico, but.....I couldn't live without V. And when I was offered the opportunity to be with him, I just took it. Do you forgive me?” Nero looked up at Nico with soulfully sad eyes, and she had to turn away from him.

 

“There's nothing to forgive idiot. I get it you know? I understood why you left and why you haven't come back, but I keep coming here hoping to see you again. I wondered if maybe you had changed in more ways than just your body, and you didn't want to see me anymore.”

 

“No! Of course not!” Nero exclaimed. “It wasn't like that at all. For the first few months I really struggled to adjust to being mer...”

 

“Yeah the idiot couldn't even swim straight!” Griffon interjected mockingly.

 

Nero told the eel to shut it, but couldn't help but feel grateful to him when he noticed that some of the tension had left Nico's hunched form, and that she was laughing.

 

“I missed all of you guys so much, to the point where V tried to get me changed back and send me home.”

 

Nico shot a shocked look towards where V had resurfaced beside Nero's tail. He shrugged sheepishly, not really able to meet her eyes.

 

“Nero was miserable, and I thought he would have been happier going home.”

 

“I am home V.”

“You can't just return this idiot like that! You took him and now you're stuck with him!”

  
Nico and Nero spoke at the same time. V laughed softly as he nuzzled into the scales of Nero's tail.

 

“I know.” He replied happily.

 

Deciding that he too wanted attention, Nightmare decided to breach the surface of the water, sending a huge wave over those on the dock. V had ducked underneath as he felt the water swirl, and had missed most of the deluge. Nico however shrieked at the sight of the enormous whale flopping through the water so close to her.

 

“What the ever loving.....what was...was that a WHALE?”

 

Nero covered the ear closest to her in pain, and answered her nonchalantly.

 

“That? Oh yeah that's just Nightmare. He's one of V's companions.” Nico just gaped at Nero incredulously.

 

With that, the more serious discussions were put on hold for another day, when they were not all so stressed, and talk soon turned to lighter things. Nero caught up with all of the news and gossip about his other friends, and learnt that Kyrie had asked about him. V felt a momentary stab or insecurity, but a light brush of Nero's fingers through his hair reassured him.

 

The sun was just beginning to set when Nico finally hauled herself up, citing the need to get away from all that 'fish stink' as she so eloquently put it with a wink. They made plans to meet up again soon, and then Nero and V were left on their own. Griffon and Shadow had long since escaped to play with Nightmare further out, having grown bored with all of the conversation.

 

They returned home that night, and Nero felt lighter than ever. The weight of guilt had lifted after seeing Nico again, and it put him into a playful mood. He chased fish between the coral and kelp, poked and prodded at V. He tugged Griffon's long tail and then spun and twisted and escaped his wrath while laughing happily. V merely shook his head at the excitable mer, and made sure to gather together some special shellfish for dinner.

 

They were almost halfway home when they came across the scent of foreign mer. Nero was too excited to meet others and he didn't notice the way that V stiffened in alarm, hands clutching his gatherings to his chest and companions huddled close.

 

With a wide grin of welcome, Nero swam towards the newcomers happily, calling out greetings. The pod called out greetings of their own and joyfully pulled Nero into their midst, patting his back and asking where his pod was. Nero turned to look back at V before answering, thereby drawing attention to the other mer, and was alarmed when the mer around him drew their weapons and closed ranks before him.

 

“Back off Cursed One! Stay away lest misfortune befall us too!”

 

The crude spears and knives were all pointed threateningly at V, who had withdrawn further into himself, companions once more held within the stark black markings.

 

“Wait! What are you doing?” Nero cried, trying to force his way through, only to be held back by a kindly looking woman.

 

“It must have been following you,” she explained kindly. “It's a good thing we came when we did, who knows what would have happened if it had caught you alone.”

 

Nero was aghast. These mer, they didn't even know V and yet they not only judged him so harshly, but they even stripped him of any courtesies? How was it that they welcomed Nero in with no prior knowledge of him, he could be a horrible mer for all they knew, but judged V simply by the marks upon his skin?

 

“Get out of my way.”

 

The mer surrounding him turned to look at him, startled by the steely tone of Nero's voice. They pulled back in alarm as his eyes glowed an angry blue, ringed in gold.

 

“That mer has never done anything to you, and you speak of him as though he were a monster ready to attack or curse you at any moment! Yet here you are wanting to kill him for simply existing. I would say that it was you that were the monsters here, and I think that you should leave _our_ territory before I get _really_ angry.”

 

With that, Nero pushed roughly through their ranks and swam over to hover in front of V protectively. A quick look thrown over his shoulder revealed that V was trembling badly, and Nero turned to gather him into his arms, turning his head away from the threatening stares of the interlopers.

 

For their part, the other pod of mer watched their interactions with interest. They saw that the cursed one made no more to attack, saw how the other protected him and how he turned into the hold. And they started to wonder if all of the stories that they had been told about cursed ones were true.

 

“Forgive us,” one of the younger mer called out softly. “We did not mean to cause offence, but this is what we have been taught.”

 

Nero nodded sadly in response, still shielding V from their gazes.

 

“I understand, I really do. But that does not forgive what you have done, and I will ask you again to move on from here. You have threatened my mate, no matter how misguided that was, and you are no longer welcome here.”

 

A few of the middle aged mer grumbled unhappily, but the others understood. The youngest mer did not even know why it was that the marked man was so terrible, and the older understood the lengths one would go to to protect their mate.

 

In the end they left quickly, leaving Nero to guide V home, Shadow and Griffon twining around him and Nightmare's mournful song echoing eerily. It was much later that night when V finally managed to gather up enough courage to speak.

 

“I...I thought I would lose you to them.” His voice was raspy; suppressed emotion hidden within.

 

“Never, you will never lose me to anyone else.” Nero swore.

 

“It is unlikely that we will ever be able to join another pod, they would never accept me. But you could.”

 

Nero tilted V's head up when he averted his eyes.

 

“If they can't accept you, then I don't want to be part of their pod. I chose this life to be with you, not any of the other mer. I won't leave you – ever.”

 

Nero gripped V to him tightly, as though afraid that he would disappear if he were to loosen his hold. V held on just as tightly, needing the reassurance Nero was providing.

 

“Hey, I know that things are a bit tough still. But we'll work things out – together. We have the rest of our lives you know?”

 

Nero smiled down at V with a tender look on his face. V leant forward slowly and laid a loving kiss on his lips.

 

“I know we do, and I am looking forward to it.”

 


End file.
